Chong Wei knocks out tired Roslin to enter the semi-finals

TheStar

BIRMINGHAM: Mohd Roslin Hashim's gallant run in the All- England badminton championships ended at the National Indoor Arena here yesterday.

Roslin, who snuffed out the last European challenge when he pulled off a stunning 9-15, 17-15, 15-12 win over Denmark's Peter Gade- Christensen on Thursday, went down tamely to national number one Lee Chong Wei in the quarterfinal match last night.

The 118-minute battle with the Dane took its toll on Roslin and Chong Wei faced little resistance from the veteran shuttler. The 22- year-old Chong Wei won 15-7, 15- 9 in 48 minutes.

Gade-Christensen was a disappointed man. “I had match point in the second and I am very disappointed that I didn't finish the game off,'' Gade said after the marathon match.

“It was a huge chance. He is a fantastic fighter. He always keeps going. All credit to him.''

Chong Wei will play the winner of the match between China’s Bao Chunlai and Chen Hong in the semifinals of the US$125,000 tournament.

Seventh seeded Chong Wei had earlier outclassed teammate Kuan Beng Hong 15-12, 15-3 in just 32 minutes to reach the quarter-finals.

Malaysia also booked another place in the last eight through Wong Choong Hann. The Malaysian faced almost no resistance in his 15-8, 15- 2 demolition of Taiwanese qualifier Liao Sheng-shuin.

Choong Hann will meet Japanese Shoji Sato next.

On paper, Choong Hann should beat the world number 21 to reach his first ever semi-finals but the 23- year-old Shoji has been in outstanding form at the All-England.

A day after scalping Thailand's Boonsak Ponsana (first round) and third seed Kenneth Jonassen of Denmark (second round), the Japanese humiliated former All- England champion Mohd Hafiz Hashim, carving out a 15-2, 15-12 win in just 37 minutes on Thursday.

National chief coach Yap Kim Hock was reasonably happy. “We have three singles players in the quarter-finals. Roslin played exceptionally well against Peter. His defence was solid and he had a lot of confidence. The Dane made a lot of mistakes and was frustrated because he could not kill his shots.â€

“It is unfortunate that Roslin has to meet Chong Wei. We hope that Choong Hann will make up for Hafiz's disappointment.â€

Besides Hafiz, Malaysia's Sairul Amar Ayob was also bundled out.

The lanky shuttler from Perlis went down fighting 10-15, 15-10, 4-15 to South Korean Lee Hyun-il.

Hyun-il, who ousted world champion Xia Xuanze in the second round, will take on top seed Lin Dan of China.

Malaysia suffered a wipe-out in the men's doubles when all three pairs - Tan Bin Shen-Ong Soon Hock, Chan Chong Ming-Koo Kien Keat and Choong Tan Fook-Chew Choon Eng - crashed out.

Bin Shen-Soon Hock however, were the only pair to reach the third round. They were tamed 6-15, 3-15 by top seeds Jens Eriksen-Martin Lundgaard Hansen of Denmark.

In the second round, Chong Ming-Kien Keat went down fighting to South Korean youngsters Han Sang-hoon-Hwang Ji-man 11-15, 15-9, 11-15 while Tan Fook-Choon Eng were no match for China's third seeds Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng. They lost 8-15, 7-15.

The women's doubles pair of Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty however, kept their momentum going when they reached the quarter-finals with a sensational 15-10, 15-5 win against Japanese Aki Akao-Tomomi Matsuda. They will now take on second seeds Wei Yili-Zhao Tingting of China.

Kim Hock hoped that the women's doubles would be able to upset the Chinese for the second time.

“The duo had beaten this pair at the Singapore Open but lost at last week's German Open. It is not impossible to beat the Chinese,†said Kim Hock.

On the failure of the men's doubles to reach the quarter-finals, Kim Hock said: “I was prepared for this result.

“All these pairs are only playing together for the first time since the Athens Olympic Games last year. We will continue to push tem.â€

 

At least we have already know by now..the semis results..